Machine for making picket fencing



1 (Model.)

L. T. CURTIS. MACHINE FOR MAKING PIGKET FENCING.

No. 375,266; Patented Dec; 20, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

LYMAN T. CURTIS, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PICKET FENCING.

.EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,266, dated December 20, 1887.

Application filed October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252.455. (ModeL) T aZZ whom it 72mg concern.-

Be it known that I, LYMAN T. CURTIS, of Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Machines for Making Picket Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for making picket fences; and it consists in, first, the combination of the twisters, each composed of two frames, which are secured to the end of the operating-shaft, and each frame provided with two holes through which the wire passes, with the reels upon which the Wire is wound and which are carried around with the twisters; second, the combination of a shaft provided with pulleys, the

sliding table, chains connected to the table, and which are wrapped around the pulleys, disks of larger diameter than the pulleys and secured to the shaft, a treadle, a connecting cord, and a pulley placed upon the shaft and around which the cord is wrapped; third, the

combination of the wiretwisters, the sliding table provided with devices for holding the pickets, ways or guides upon which the table moves and which are provided with stoppins, the counter-weight connected to one end of the table, the operatingshaft provided with pulleys, and the chains by which the table is con nected to the pulleys fourth, the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for twisting the wires upon fence] v the twisters, showing the holes through which the wire passes.

A represents a suitable frame-worlgof any suitable construction. J ournaled in this framework is the driving-shaft B, having the spurwheel 0 secured to its outer end. This wheel meshes upon one side with the pinion D, which is placed upon the short shaft E, upon which the spools are placed to be filled with wire. WVhen the spools are being filled, the drivingwheel F, upon the other side of the wheel 0, has to be removed from its shaft Gso as not to operate the twisters while the spools are being filled. Each one of the twisting devices H is proirided with a driving-wheel, F,which mesh together, and a shaft, G, to the inner end of which the twister is secured. Each twist-er consists of two separate frames which are secured to the inner end of the shaft, and in which the spools I are placed after they have been filled with wire. Each one of the parts of the twisting'frame is made pointed, and

through this pointed end is made a hole,'

through which the wire passes. Extending across each one of these frames is an arm, J, through which is madea second hole,whieh is slightly larger than the one through the point, so as to take the kinks and bends out of the wire as it is drawn through. The tension upon the spool is regulated by any suitable tension devices which may be preferred. The particular-kind of tension devices employed is immaterial, for this may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. As each twister carries two spools of wire, when the twister is made to revolve the wires are twisted together, so as to secure the pickets in position in the usual manner.

Placed upon the ways or guides L is a sliding carriage, N, to the rear edge of which is fastened a weight, P, by means of a cord, 1?, which passes over the pulley Q, and to its front edge are fastened chains 0, which have their other ends fastened to the pulleys Q upon the shaft B. As soon as the table is left free to move, the weight P draws it backward toward the twisting devices, and when it is desired to movethe carriage forward, carrying a picket, the treadle S is depressed, and this trea'dle, through the cord T, which is fastened at its upper end to a pulley or wheel, U, secured to the shaft R, causes the shaft to revolve and move the table forward. Upon the top of the table N are secured suitable holding devices, V, of any suitable shape, into which the pickets are inserted, and which hold the picket while the table is being moved forward by the treadle. TheholdingdevicesVwillbeadapted to the kind of picket which is being used, so as to hold the picket securely while being twisted by the wires.

In order to prevent the pickets from striking against the pulleys Q upon the shaft B, after being woven into position and while being carried toward the reel, upon each end of the shaft R is placed a disk, \V, which is of larger diameter than the pulleys Q, and which thus raises the pickets upward, so that no part of them will come in contact with any one of the pulleys It U. \Vere these disks \V not used,

the pickets would bear upon these pulleys upon the shaft R, and thus make the treadle very difficult, if not impossible, to properly operate.

Journaled upon the outer end of the frame A is the shaft X, provided with a ratchet and pulley to prevent the shaft from moving backward, and provided upon one end with an opcrating-wheel, Y, for causing the shaft to revolve, and thus wind up the fencing upon the shaft as fast as it is made. This shaft is made removable from the frame, so that the fencing can be removed whenever so desired.

In order to regulate the distance between the pickets, a number of holes are made in guides or ways L at one end, and in these holes are placedsuitable stoppins, Z, by means I of which the distance the carriage shall be moved forward by the treadle is regulated at will. By the use of these stops or pins a uniform distance between the pick ets can be m ai ntained at all times.

In order to cause the fencing to wrap evenly and regularly upon the shaft X, it is provided with a number of swiveled hooks, A, behind which the first paling of the fence catches when the hooks A are turned at right angles to the shaft X, as shown in Fig. 1. After a sufficient quantity of the fencing has been wound upon the shaft X, and it is desired to discharge the roll or bale from the shaft, it is only necessary to remove the shaft from its bearing upon the frame A, and then give the shaft an cndwise jerk toward the operating-wheel Y, when the hooks A will turn partially around, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and allow the bale to slide endwise from the shaft. This construction saves a great deal of time and trouble in removing the bale from the shaft.

Having thus described my invention, I elain1- 1. In a machine for making picket fences, the combination of the twisters If, each composed of two frames, which are secured to the end of the operating-shaft, and each frame pro vided with two holes through which the wire passes, with a reel, I, which is jonrnaled in each frame, and which reelsare carried around with the twisters, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the shaft R, provided with the pulleys U Q, the chains for connection with the sliding tableaud with the treadle, and the disks \V upon the ends of the shaft, the disks being made of greater diameter than the pulleys, so as to prevent the pickets coming in contact with the pulleys,substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for making picket fences, the combination of the wiretwisters, the sliding table provided with devices for holding the pickets, guides or ways L, provided with stop-pins, the counter-weight connected to one end of the table, the operating shaft provided with pulleys U, chains by which the shaft is connected to the table, and the treadle connected to the shaft, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'LYMAN T. ()UIt'lIS.

Witnesses:

Gno. F. BROWN, JOHN L. JENNINGS. 

